The required level of performance of detergent additives has been rising with growing concern of consumers for environmental problems. For example, many consumers have been changing their washing machines to drum washing machines to reduce water consumption and drainage. In washing treatment under water-saving conditions, soil redeposition on clothes is a more serious problem compared to under conditions in which a large amount of water is used.
Therefore, the required level of anti-soil redeposition ability of detergent additives is higher than before. For drum washing machines, which use less water, liquid detergents are likely to be chosen because they are likely to dissolve without residue. Accordingly, there is a growing demand for liquid detergents, particularly concentrated liquid detergents whose surfactant content is not less than 50%. This demand has created a need for detergent additives that are suitably used in concentrated liquid detergents and are more compatible with surfactants than conventional detergent additives. Nonetheless, powder detergents continue to be a significant part of the detergent market, especially in developing countries.